Adventure across dangerous lands and overcome your fears to save your father in the remake of the award-winning Brothers: Tale of Two Sons. Delve deep into the mines, climb to the top of snow-covered mountains, and bask in the sun-kissed forests as you solve puzzles, help others, and try to make your way to a special tree that will hopefully save your father. Experience the moving story of two brothers lovingly remade with stunning visuals. Whether you go it alone or play in the new co-op mode you will have a fantastic time journeying through the game.
Platforms: PC – Steam, PS5, Xbox One Series S&X
Players: 1-2
Genres: Adventure, Casual, Puzzle
Developer: Avantgarden Games
Price: £15.99
Steam Deck – Unsupported (but works ok)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake Review
Roughly ten years ago I played through the original Brothers game and I loved it. Since then only the vague memory of it being a great game remains. Which means, that when I heard it was being remade I could experience it all over again, totally fresh as if it was the first time playing. But now, I could also play it with someone else. I’ve mentioned that since getting my Steam Deck I’ve loved playing more couch co-op games. Despite my partner not being the biggest gamer, I thought Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons would be a good game to play with her.
Throughout the entirety of the game, you will be working on puzzles to make progress. This is where the game shines if you play it as was originally intended, you’d be controlling both brothers simultaneously. At first, it takes some getting used to and you’ll still find yourself sending one brother in one direction and the other in a completely different direction as you try to wind down paths. However, you will get into a rhythm of making jumps, grabbing ledges, pulling, and pushing objects. You can also play co-operatively which means you only have to focus on one person. The controls are as simple as they could be. One thumb stick moves you around and the trigger is your button to interact. That it!
Casually puzzle solving
The puzzles aren’t particularly taxing to complete from a logic perspective – you’ll almost always immediately know what’s to be done. In most cases, it’s just a matter of timing and coordination. Grabbing a ledge or rope as you swing from one place to the next. Having one brother push something whilst the other pulls. Or one will have to go one direction to operate something which will then let the other pass. It’s fun, intuitive and simple.
Meaning, that if you’re playing solo you won’t get overly bamboozled by complex puzzle-solving as you navigate the controls of both brothers. Additionally, it makes it an accessible game for those who aren’t necessarily used to playing video games so much.
It looks excellent
The main changes to the game are the remastering of the audio and visuals and you can immediately see how good the game looks. Each and every part of the game has been beautifully remade. The scenery is fantastic, and the detail in the environments both foreground and background is brilliant. At times the aesthetic made me feel like I was playing a Fable game. The world has that same feel of being somewhere between a cartoon and realistic with caricature-esque features on the characters throughout the game.
There are plenty of fantastical creatures to meet, to run away from, or to help. There is a lot of variety in the locations too from the lush forests with scattered pockets of civilisation. Deep mines where trolls construct massive contraptions. There are mountains where the goats scamper freely and frozen plains which show the remnants of bloody and gruesome battles.
It’s a fairly short game clocking in at around 3 to 4 hours depending on how quickly you get through some sections. That’s a great length for a game of this type. Any longer and it might feel a little unnecessary. Any shorted and you’ll likely be left wanting. Overall it’s a lovely game that you can easily play through. If you want something casual that won’t demand all your time and attention then Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake is a great option (and a real mouthful to say or write). If you prefer a tougher challenge then the simplistic puzzle design might leave you wanting.
-Will
